Knob attachment



(No Model.) 7

F. H. RICHARDS.

KNOB ATTACHMENT.

No. 485,137. Patented Oct. 25, 1892.

' UNITED 7 STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANCIS I-l. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

KNOB ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,137, dated October 25, 1892.

Application filed April 30, 1892.

Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knob Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of adjustable knob attachments which are generally designated as screwless knobs, the object being to provide a knob attachment of this class whereby the knob may be readily removed and replaced and which shall be simple in construction, of low cost, and effective in operation.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a knob attachment embodying my present improvements. Fig.2 is a longitudinal section of the knob attachment. Fig. 3 is an end view of the knob-stem and the parts shown carried thereby in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the knob-spindle. Fig.5 is an end view of the spindle, drawn in projection with Fig. 4. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are respectively a plan, side elevation, and end view of the spindle-clamping wedge. Fig. 9 illustrates a modification of the means for actuating the wedge.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement on the adjustable knob attachment shown and described in the application of my assignees, Doebler and Bryant, whose application, Serial No. 421,676, was filed February 16, 1892.

In the drawings, the knob K, which is generally made hollow, as shown, is provided with a stem 6, that is longitudinally perforated to receive and fit freely upon the squared (or polygonal) spindle S. Said spindle is made of a length to pass through the door to which the knob is to be applied and of a size to fit in and actuate the lock or latch to be operated thereby; but these parts, not being directly involved in my present improvements, are not shown in this application. One side of the spindle S is grooved, as at 2, Fig. 5, and this wedge-receiving groove in its preferred form is V-shaped for the purpose of receiving Serial No. 431,241. (No model.)

a spindleexpanding wedge B, which is fitted to lie therein. The wedge 13 on its projecting outer end 3 is usually provided with notches or screw-threads 4, engaging in a nut C,whereby said wedge may be actuated. The inner or working end 5 of the wedge B constitutes the wedge proper and has the inclined outer surface 7 bearing against the corresponding face 8 of the bore of the knob. That end of the spindle S which is within the knob-stem is slotted at 10 from the lower side of the groove 2 toward the opposite side 9 of said spindle, thereby sufficiently dividing or bifurcating the knob-carrying end of the spindle to make the same expansible, as will be understood by comparison of the detail views, Figs. 1 and 5. As a means for steadying and holding in place in its proper position concentrically of the spindle the inner end of the knob-stem this is shown constructed of the form of an internal cone, (see Fig. 2,) and the nut C is formed conical to bear in said cone, and thus serve to control the lateral position of the stem,notwithstanding the stem 6 may be loosely fitted upon the spindle. By this means the inner end of the stem 6 is rigidly held from lateral play.

The operation of the improvement is as follows: The spindleS having been put through the lock or latch to be operated thereby, the wedge B is slipped within the knob-stem and the not placed over the same against the stem, as shown in Fig. 2, but with the wedge extending farther toward or into the interior of the knob. Next the parts thus assembled are slid over the end of the spindle to the required working positionas shown, for instance, in Fig. 2. A wrench is now applied to the squared faces of the not C, which is thereby turned to draw the wedge B toward the left hand in Figs. 1 and 2 until the wedge-face 7 bears firmly against the corresponding face 8 of the knobstem. At this time the working end 5 of the wedge is forced laterally toward the spindle, and being, as shown in Fig. 8, of a wedgeshaped cross-sectional form is driven between the inclined faces 12 and 11 of the spindle ends 13 and 15 to spread these in opposite diing expansible, as described, the spindle is spread to fully fill the squared (or polygonal) bore of the knob-stem, and the wedge acts, also, to force the spindle against the lower side 0f the knob-stem. Thus the wedge, acting, as it does, in two directions, operates to force the spindle against three faces of the bore, while the wedge itself bears against the fourth face of the bore of the knob-stem,thereby holding the stem rigidly within the knob against lateral movement in any direction. This action of the wedge will be found eifective for the purpose described, and so far as relates to that portion of the knob-stem where the wedge bears upon the same without the conical construction of the nut hereinbefore described; but by means of this additional feature each end of a comparatively-long knob-stein may be rigidly held in place.

In Fig.9 Ihave shown another means for actnatingthe spindle-expandin g wedge longitudinally of the knob-stem, this means consisting of the set-screw 22, carried in the projecting end 23 of the wedge B'and bearing against the endof the knob-stem 6, as will be understood from the drawings Without further explanation thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In an adjustable knob attachment, the

combination, with the knob-stem and with the expansible spindle constructed to receive a spindle-expanding wedge, of the spindle-expanding wedge adaptedforlongitudinal movement within the knob-stem and constructed to act in two directions, and means for actuating the wedge, whereby the spindle may be simultaneously clamped and expanded, substantially as set forth.

2. In an adjustable knob attachment, the c0mbination,with the knob-stem and with the expansible spindle, of the spindle-expanding wedge projecting beyond the knob-stem, and the conical nut engaging the end of the knobstem and actuating said wedge, whereby the' spindle is clamped and expanded and the end of the knob-stem held against lateral play, substantially as set forth.

3. In an adjustable knob attachment, the combination, with the spindle having the V- groove in one side thereof and slotted from the bottom of said groove toward the oppo- 

